The Hunt and The War
by StarlightDragon1636
Summary: Sonic has awoken into a diffrent time. How will he combat an old foe who also lives in this new age and is greater than before?
1. The Sleeping and the Awakaning

It was a beautiful day in the Great Field. Birds were singing, the sun was shining, and a blue streak was running about. Sonic the hedgehog, many time hero of the planet, was enjoying the day by running in the large field, far away from the hustle and bustle of Station Square. It was all he could do not to whoop with joy. Then he spotted someone standing in his way. He dug his feet into the ground leaving behind a long trench behind him.

As he came to a halt in front of the figure, he practically shouted, "Yo, watch were you're standing would ya?I might have run you down!" The figure, wearing a purple black cloak held by a crescent moon clasp, and carrying a wooden staff with a dragon's head carved on top, tilted his head. It was impossible to see the face inside the drawn up hood which was a bit of an annoyance. "I take it you're Sonic the hedgehog?" Sonic grinned, the bad mood gone in an instant. "Yeah that's me! Sonic the Hedgehog!" The figure nodded. "Right, I'm sorry about this but it's for the sake of the future."

While Sonic was still confused the figure lifted his head and brought it down hard. It missed Sonic by a millimeter thanks to his lightning fast reflexes. "Whoa! What's that for?" The figure didn't answer but flowed into another swing, again missing by millimeters. Sonic wasn't in a mood to fight at the moment and since no one else would know about this he turned and ran back toward Station Square. He didn't get far before he saw the figure in the way again. Just as Sonic was about to swerve away the figure jumped high over him. Just as Sonic thought he had a clean escape he felt his foot hit something.

Immediately a sapphire colored crystal erupted from the ground, trapping him in it. Just as the crystal came to his neck the figure tapped him on the head, causing him to fall into a deep sleep. The figure sighed and went to work. He reached under his cloak and pulled out a large scroll. He unrolled it before the crystal, tapped it with the butt of his staff, and began to chant. The symbols on the scroll began to glow blow brighter, and brighter, until the land began to shake. Then the ground erupted and from it came a wall of tan stone. Other walls sprouted with the one the figure was on.

Eventually the walls settled into their various positions, forming a large temple. The figure shifted to the very top of the temple, reached inside his cloak again, and pulled out a sack. Undoing the string around the neck he reached inside and pulled out a hand full of green acorns and other tree seeds. He tossed them far and wide around the temple; until everywhere in a three mile radius was covered with seeds. Tossing the bag aside the figure raised his staff to the sky and caused a green flow of energy to spout from the mouth of the dragon head. He made the energy wash over all the seeds, stopped the flow, and waited. Soon trees of every kind began to sprout up, fully grown with green foliage. Then the figure raised his staff aloft once more and cried out, "Caliga of vicis , prognatus of infinitus flumen gaurd is silva ex os of totus incultus vir must orior oriri ortus iterum!*" (*Mists of time, born of the infinite river, guard this forest from sight of all until the hero must rise again!). From nowhere a grey mist covered the forest, shrouding it and the temple within its cloak. Satisfied, the figure tapped the air with his staff causing the air to ripple. Before steeping into it he looked down where the crystal holding Sonic was. "Rest easy Sonic the Hedgehog. Soon enough you will awaken. Hopefully you will forgive me for what I have done, though I highly doubt it." Then he stepped through the ripple, and was not seen again in that time.

Unknown number of years later…

It was night on the Great Field, a full moon shining brightly with the stars. Their light illuminated two figures running toward a point in the field. Both were clad in cloaks with hoods up. One cloak was water blue with various patterns. Strapped to the back was a long hilt. The other wore a cloak as dark as a moon and starless midnight. Strapped to the back was an equally black crescent moon shaped blade with the hilt attached to the 'spine'. Both were running at fantastic speeds. Soon they saw a veil of mist and headed for it, slowing down slightly to be more cautious in the mist.

Soon they were dodging past trees which could only be seen as shadows. Onward they went until they saw it. It was a massive temple. Inside was their prize, whatever it may be. Nodding to each other, they dashed inside. Oddly enough there was light inside. Not pausing to investigate they continued onward. In they went to the temple, rushing up stairways, dashing by small windows, being as light-footed as possible. Oddly enough though, neither of the two felt anything that would trigger a trap. Normally they would have stopped to look into this but they were almost too high chamber.

Upon entering it they slowed to a walk and observed the room. It was lit by a hold in the dome shaped roof. In the center was a massive sapphire colored crystal that hid whatever was inside. Around it on the floor were seven holes shaped like a stereotypical jeweler's cut diamond. Without a word, both figures reached into their cloaks and pulled out identical sacks. Pulling them open unleashed a bright display of light as they pulled the Chaos Emeralds from the bags. One by one they put the emeralds into the slots and waited. "Do you think it will work" the figure in the blue cloak asked his counterpart. "All we can do is wait" responded the figure in black.

The Emeralds grew brighter, the light seeming to become solid. Then all the pillars of light pointed toward the sapphire. There was a cracking sound and the sapphire broke into a million pieces. A blue hedgehog was in the center of the debris, sleeping. Yet as the two approached him he groaned and looked up with groggy eyes. "Can you hear me" asked the figure in blue. The hedgehog nodded and stood. "My name", said the figure in blue as he lowered his hood, revealing that he was an otter, "Is Riverheart. My frien…" the figure in black snarled as he lowered his hood, revealing himself as a wolf with fur as white as the full moon at its zenith and a wavy lock of fur next to his right eye. "My compatriot over there is called Whitefang. And you are?" The hedgehog smiled from ear to ear. "I'm Sonic, Sonic the hedgehog.

(A/N: So what do you think my reader, is this better than the original? What doi _ have to do to improve? _ CONSTRUCTIVE criticism only!)


	2. Explanation, First Battle, and Meeting

"So", asked Riverheart, "What were you doing in that thing?" Sonic frowned as he explained about the cloaked figure and all he could remember about the incident. "It was the Cloaked Sorcerer that did it then" said Riverheart after hearing Sonic's recount. "It was probably just as well he put you into that thing and hid you.

"Tell me Sonic, what's today's date?" Sonic told him. Riverheart and Whitefang exchanged glances. "Um, Sonic" began Riverheart, "I'm afraid that's not the right date." "You're joking" responded Sonic with a disbelieving look. Whitefang chose that moment to speak. His harsh, gravelly voice added to the bluntness of his statement. "You've been in that oversized piece of jewelry for ten-thousand years." Sonic's jaw dropped. "No way, I can't have been. I'd look older, I'd be dead!"

Riverheart was about to say something when he gasped, "The emeralds!" They all whipped around to see the Chaos Emeralds sink into the depressions they had been placed in before any of them could reach them. The room began to shake with amazing force, rattling everyone to their bones as they ran out of the room. Sonic was the first out of the temple, followed close behind by Riverheart and Whitefang. Suddenly, Riverheart pointed at the highest point of the temple. Flying away from it in different directions went seven colored arcs of light, fading away soon after.

"The Chaos Emeralds" moaned Riverheart; the otter looking saddened as he watched said things fly away. "All the work we had to do, and they're gone, just like that." Whitefang patted the otter on the shoulder, causing him to jump in surprise. Before he could say anything though the wolf snarled a warning and left it at that. "Well" said Sonic in an attempt to break the growing silence between the three of them as the temple fell to pieces, "What now?"

"We get out of the forest" responded Riverheart as he and his compatriot covered themselves with their hoods. "Then, back to home sweet home." Making a follow us gesture, Riverheart led the way out of the forest, waving his hands every now and then. When he did this, the fog seemed to recede. When the forest's edge appeared, Sonic was ready to dash out of there, eager to stretch his legs. And he did, much to the concern of his two new allies. Ignoring their shouts he ran out of the forest and into the moonlight.

The next thing he knew he was surrounded by robots. They looked like S.W.A.T. Bots but were less bulky, sleeker, and had no spikes. One of them turned its red visor on Sonic and said, "AREA OF LIMITS. ALL NON GAURDIANS IN AREA ARE TO BE ROBOTISIZED OR DESTROYED. WHAT IS YOUR CHOICE?" Sonic smiled his old smile, glad to have a chance to smash bots again. "Easy, neither!" He ran around the battalion in a circle, leaving only a trail of blue light. Before he could land a strike a bolt of lightning shot out of nowhere and struck the robot he was aiming for, destroying it completely.

Sonic turned in time to see Riverheart point at another robot and cause of bolt of lightning to shot from his finger, frying it. When the robots aimed at him and started firing a barrage of lasers, he drew his sword, a long and somewhat large curved blade with a razor edge like a shark's tooth. He also drew a dagger that curved slightly like a shark's dorsal fin from beneath his cloak and charged the robots, Whitefang at his side with his own blade drawn.

The battle, such as it was, lasted two minutes. It took that much time for the three of them to smash and slice the robots into pieces. Sheathing his blades, Riverheart pulled out a rectangular communicator and spoke into it briefly, "Mission accomplished area clear. Open the gate please." Replacing the communicator he took a step back and waited. "That S.W.A.T. Bot said Roboticize. Did Eggman start a family or something" queried Sonic. Whitefang snorted while Riverheart responded, "I wish. It's Eggman himself who did all this.

"Sonic, I don't know why you haven't visibly reacted to this yet, but there are only four people left alive from your era, you being one of them and Eggman another." "I've learned to cope with loss" was Sonic's only response. "Two questions, how did Eggman live so long and who else is alive from my time?" Whitefang muttered something about someone taking so long while Riverheart chose to speak again.

"We don't know. Our scientists think he turned himself into a cyborg or some sort of machine. Whatever the reason, he's brought most of our homeland under his heel. As for the others, you'll find out. Now answer me a question. Why aren't you surprised that I can manipulate energy?" Sonic grinned. "Oh that. Simple, when you've been around like I have, things don't surprise you as much. So, you're part of a resistance?"

The otter almost answered when Whitefang grunted. Looking around, they saw a swirling vortex hanging in the air nearby. "Took the kid long enough" Whitefang grunted, and entered the portal. Riverheart was about to enter when Sonic stopped him. "Where does that go?" Riverheart smiled and pulled the hedgehog into the portal. Upon coming out the other side, Sonic gasped. They were on top of a large hill that gave a good view of a great plain that went on for miles. In the distance he could see a large river and on the horizon, mountains larger than any he had seen, the clear sky giving the whole scene the perfect finish. "Welcome" said Riverheart as he waved his arm, "To the War Torn Lands."

Sonic couldn't help but comment on the name didn't suit the place, causing Whitefang to snarl, "That's it, the next person who says that will meet death courtesy of my blade." The sound of grass rustling made them turn around. Walking toward them was a young looking leopard, maybe ten years or so, and wearing a tan cloak that hid his figure. "Oh man" he moaned, his voice confirming his age, "I screwed up didn't I Riv?" Said otter lowered his hood and patted the leopard on the shoulder.

"Don't let it get to you kid. So we're off by a mile or two. Makes no difference considering we can cover that in three minutes if we go top speed." Sonic decided it would best not to comment that he could cover that distance in less time, rule of tact in play. "Oh, I'm such an idiot, introductions. Sonic this is Dash and no, that's not his real name. Like mine and my fri…" Whitefang snarled, "Partner's over there.

"Dash can manipulate space, a useful ability for our operations. Like us he's a…" Riverheart never finished that sentence. Another rustling sound distracted him, and when he shouted "Bloodbot!" Sonic didn't know how to react. Then he felt something cold and metallic leap onto his back. The next thing he knew something bit into his neck and begin to drain his blood. Oddly, it didn't hurt, but the feel of the teeth or whatever in his jugular was uncomfortable. As his senses began to fade, he heard someone shout "Riv, cut its power!"

It was too late for Riverheart to cut the power for the Bloodbot, a small, grey robot the looked like a dinosaur with an oval shaped head and a glass jar in the head itself. The jar now full of Sonic's blood, the head ejected and flew away to the east. Riverheart fired several bolts of lightning after it, but they all missed. "Damn it all! Dash, portal to HQ, now!" A look of fear crossed the young leopard's face. "B-but the General…" "Forget the General for now" retorted the furious otter as he helped Whitefang lift Sonic, "Just open the portal!"

The young cat jumped from being shouted at and turned about. Tapping a spot in the air in front of him, he created a white dot where his claw had been, as if he had pierced the fabric of space itself. He face scrunched up in concentration, the dot expanding until it was wide enough for them to travel through. The leopard stood guard while the others pulled the limp hedgehog through the vortex, then followed through and the vortex closed behind him.

At first Sonic could only see inky blackness, and feel nothing. At least until he felt what seemed like ten-thousand volts zap him. Waking up with a yelp, he looked around to see Riverheart holding his hand close to Sonic's side. Noticing it was crackling with electricity he moved out of the otter's reach. "So you're awake" said the otter as he pulled his hand back. "You see Doctor, I told you it would work."

Sonic heard someone humph and stalk out of the room, turning in time to see a rabbit that looked oddly familiar. "Who was that?" Sonic inquired as he sat up. "Dr. Malai, head of the medical division, and before you ask, it was a Bloodbot that did put you in here." Sonic blinked.

"A Bloodbot?" Riverheart nodded. "A new robot that drains the blood of its victims and flees. Why it does this we have no idea. One thing's for sure though, Eggman will know you're here if he's gotten the chance to analyze your DNA." As Sonic digested this information the two warriors stood. "Now come with us please, the General wants to see you." Turning their backs to a confused Sonic, the two left the room and, after a moment, he got off the bed and followed.

The hallway was a tunnel carved into the living rock of what Sonic suspected was a mountain. The ceiling was lined with various sized crystals that gave off a soft white light. Every now and then a door with a number appeared in the wall, from which a Doctor or Nurse would emerge occasionally. Wondering where Dash was, Sonic inquired to the more open otter.

"As far as I know, the poor kid's getting a shouting at from the General about what he did, despite the fact it was for your own good." "Who is this General guy anyway" Sonic queried as he made room for a nurse to pass him, "He doesn't sound like a nice guy." The otter nodded and Whitefang only grunted. Soon they had exited the medical area and entered the actual military part of the base. Numerous creatures wearing identical dark green uniforms with assorted decorations walked these halls. Approaching a highly decorated door with a familiar looking symbol on it, Riverheart was about to knock when it slammed open.

Dash ran out, tears streaming, and bumped into Whitefang. The wolf looked down at the young cat and growled angrily; further scaring the leopard and making him run behind the more friendly otter. "Ease up kid" said Riverheart as he patted the sobbing cat, "Did the General read you the riot book?" "And more" sobbed Dash. While Sonic took a turn at comforting the young cat, Riverheart held a quick and silent discussion with Whitefang.

"Go see Lady Anna" said Riverheart as he turned around. "She may have something to lift your mood." Dash nodded and walked off, sobbing and sniffing all the way. "That kid is an insult to our unit" growled Whitefang. Riverheart made as if to hit him, but thought better of it. "Go easy on him man, he's the youngest of us all." The white wolf only grunted and shoved Sonic unceremoniously inside the office.


	3. Meeting the General and questions

Sonic stumbled slightly from being shoved into the office, recovered, and took a look around. The office was a small cave lit by hundreds of fragments of gems that lined the walls and ceiling. At the back was a desk of what Sonic guessed was oak with the familiar looking black symbol on its front. The desk itself had no decorations, just a white crystal stuck inside a lamp like construct, a pencil can, and a knife. Sitting behind the desk was pine martin with sable fur and purple patches of fur. Looking up, he put down his pencil and stood to meet them, leaning heavily on a walking stick with a gold ball on the top.

He was wearing a long, dark green uniform coat that was open, exposing a dark blue vest and dark green pants. The coat had a veritable collection of medals on the right and stripes on the left. On his left shoulder was a patch with a picture of a rusted sword that was dripping blood. On the other was a picture of ten swords crossing each other. He tired look to his face that one gets from seeing too much war and his eyes dark brown eyes had a haunted look to them, as if he had seen years of death. He also wore a dark green peak cap decorated with a small badge with a symbol of a white four pointed star surrounded by three other four pointed stars over what looked like a planet and against a rising sun. The hat always seemed to his one of his eyes.

"So you're Sonic the hedgehog" he said in a warm, young sounding voice that confirmed Sonic's suspicions, "It's nice to finally meet you. I'm General Shroud, commander of the unit you'll be meeting in a moment." He extended his right hand and Sonic shook it, noticing the General's glove had a circle and a series of symbols colored gold on the back. "Now that the formalities are out of the way, Whitefang will escort you to the meeting room. I need to have a word with Riverheart about letting Dash open a portal _right into our base_!" He said the last words with a snarl, looking terrifying.

Sonic nodded dumbly and followed the white wolf out of the office. "So that's the General huh? What's he like in your opinion?" he asked Whitefang after some time. "He's served the Resistance Army faithfully for a long time, he's trusted" was all the wolf would say, and Sonic could get no more out of him.

Sonic and Whitefang walked for a few minutes before coming to a large door. Whitefang pushed it open, and they walked inside. It was a large room also lit by crystals that gave off a green light. In the back of the room was a raised platform of stone with a chair behind it, and behind that were a series of crystals perfectly arrayed into a large rectangle. In the center of the room was a large circular table with an insignia in the form of ten swords crossing each other. Seated at the table were eight people.

Closest to Sonic was a tiger wearing a desert cloak and a white turban. On his right was a large, black cloak wearing badger with all black fur save a white middle stripe. On his right was an old looking hedgehog with snow-white fur, quills hanging back and wearing a snow white cloak that was clasped at the shoulder by a snowflake shaped blue clasp. Next to him was a human woman that looker about her sixties, judging by her grey hair. She wore a silver-white dress with ribbons coming out of the sleeves and was currently comforting a still slightly weeping Dash, whose chair was next to her.

Next to Dash's empty chair was a female squirrel with chocolate brown fur and wearing a forest green archer's cloak. Strapped to her back was a quiver of arrows and a bow. On her right was another hedgehog with rain cloud grey fur, and wearing a grey suit, overcoat, and fedora along with wire framed- oval glasses. Next to him was a Japanese rhinoceros beetle with a crimson exoskeleton and a Daimyo's kimono. The next two chairs were empty; when Sonic inquired about them Whitefang just looked at him.

"Those would be ours" said Riverheart as he entered the room followed by General Shroud "And as for whom we are, the General will tell you." "Actually" responded said commander, "I have to look over the reports before we begin so you do it." And he walked up to the platform, walking stick tapping away on the stone floor. Riverheart looked a bit miffed but smiled again.

"Understood sir. Well Sonic, it seems I have the pleasure of introducing you to the Tenacious Ten. We are exactly what we look like, ten of the greatest warriors in all the War Torn Lands." The various members, save Dash, nodded to Sonic who gave them the thumbs up. "Nice to meet you" he responded. "I'll let them introduce themselves" Riverheart said and went to his chair. Just as Sonic was about to make his rounds General Shroud cleared his thought. "Ahem, well the formalities are out of way so I'll get to the point." He looked pointedly at Sonic.

"Sonic, is there anything you want to ask before I ask you something?" The blue hedgehog nodded. "Yeah, several questions actually." The pine martin nodded, "Fire away." Sonic leaned against the wall before starting. "Well first, where on Earth are we? I've been all over the planet and I've never heard of the War Torn Lands." The General smiled. "I was wondering when that would be brought up. I'll be blunt; we're on Earth but not on Earth." General Shroud raised his gloved hand to forestall any further questions.

"Let me explain. The War Torn Lands are an alternate dimension that's tied to the Earth. That's how it is we're on Earth and yet not on Earth. So, what's your next question? Be quick about it!" Sonic raised an eyebrow but asked his next question. "How is it that Eggman is here and how can he still be alive?" General Shroud sighed and rubbed his temples. "Oh what a tale I have to tell you there. Okay, I'll start from the beginning. A long time ago he just appeared out of nowhere in a massive warship. He must have done some reconnaissance because he went after Halgaia first.

"Before you ask, Halgaia is… was the greatest fortress in all the War Torn Lands. Never in its history had it ever been conquered completely. Until Eggman that is. He took it using chemical and biological weapons, things we long ago agreed never to use. Once he had Halgaia it was easy enough for him to set himself as de facto ruler of the War Torn Lands. This was approximately fifty thousand years ago. As to how he's been alive for so long, we have no idea. Our best scientists and sages have been pondering that forever."

As Sonic digested this information, Riverheart spoke up. "You're probably wondering why we haven't been able to beat him yet if it's been so long." Sonic nodded and Riverheart began his own explanation. "Well here's the deal. Eggman spends most of his time holed up in Halgaia, which is impossible for us to take at the moment. Take a look." From somewhere under the table he produced a rolled up map which he placed onto the table. Rolling it open he motioned for Sonic to come over.

"Take a gander at this. This is a map of Halgaia and the surrounding area." Bending over Sonic saw a ring of mountains. "Extremely high up" Riverheart explained, "So high no aircraft of any kind can go over them. Not even Eggman has done it. They're also too steep to climb and even if you could, there's no gap or pass to take advantage of, save one." The otter pointed to a small pass facing east. "That's the only way through the mountains. There used to be a fort but it was constantly being destroyed so they just gave up on it. Besides, there are some rather… unpleasant creatures inhabiting the mountains."

Riverheart now pointed to a large patch of green that surrounded the fortress. "This forest is another source of bother. The trees are extremely close together and the roots stick out of the ground all over the place, making it dangerous for someone with an ability like yours to run in there. If that weren't enough, there are Rangers patrolling it." Sonic looked up questioningly. "Rangers? As in forest rangers?" The otter let out an annoyed sigh and slapped the ground with his rudder tail. "No, I mean the blend into the scenery and shoot you between the eyes from a mile or so away with a bow and arrow Ranger. My younger brother, Creekspirit, is one of them.

"The good news is, the Rangers are against Eggman so we don't have to worry about them." Sonic looked up from the map again. "But it can't be that easy right?" Riverheart sighed sadly. "No, it never is. We have to worry about the patrols of robots Eggman put into the forest, and if that weren't enough, there's the power of the forest itself." Again Sonic raised an eyebrow. "The power of the forest" he said skeptically. "I've seen a lot of things before, but a magic forest?"

Now the squirrel glared at him. "Magic forest?" She said angrily. "Magic forest?" She got up and stomped over to the hedgehog. Jabbing him in the chest she practically yelled, "The Halgaia forest isn't magic. It's sacred. It's as old as the War Torn Land itself. Because of this fact, the forest confounds all who enter it, save the Rangers who patrol it. Never, ever call it magic again!" Sonic was so caught off guard, all he could do was put his hands up in a placating gesture.

Fortunate, and surprisingly, Whitefang saved him from further trades by walking up to the squirrel and putting a hand on her shoulder. "Peace, Lyra. Don't waste your fury on him." Lyra whipped around to face the wolf, still angry. Surprisingly, she calmed down after a while. "Of course, thank you Whitefang. I wasn't myself." So saying she walked back to her chair and sat down, acting as if nothing had happened. For a moment, there was just silence, broken by General Shroud tapping his staff on the ground. "Ahem, can we hurry this up? I have a mission to brief some of you for."

Riverheart nodded to his commanding officer and wrapped up the explanation. "The point is Halgaia is too well defended to make a move on until we've destroyed enough of Eggman's bases and factories. That and get help from whoever we can because Eggman can call upon the other fortress all over the War Torn Lands for reinforcements. We hope you'll help us." With that he wrapped up the map and put it back under the table. "There's time for one more question. What'll it be?" Sonic though for awhile, then made his inquiry. "Who's the Cloaked Sorcerer?"

Sonic noted that General Shroud's gloved hand twitched slightly at that question. "We have no idea" the pine martin said. "We know he's not an enemy and thank goodness for that. But he's also not an ally of ours. He's popped up every now and then but before we could get to him he always disappears." The General sighed tiredly and slumped in his seat. "Well now that that's out of the way, I'll ask my question of you, though you no doubt know what it is."

Sonic grinned. "You want me to help you out against Eggman don't you?" When the General nodded Sonic gave him the thumbs up. "You can count on me." General Shroud looked at the hedgehog with the visible eye from under his hat. " I hope so Sonic the Hedgehog. This isn't just some small scale resistance like you did against Dr. Robotnik, this is war in all its ugliness. Tell me Sonic have you ever been in war? A real war?" Sonic shook his head. "I thought so. Well you better get ready, because this war against Dr. Eggman will change you. Forever."


End file.
